Valve-stem cap.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.k

'OSCAR A. SMITH, or CLEVELAND, oHIo, Ass'reNoR or,l ONE-HALF To EDWIN c. HENN,

or cLEvELANI ,-H1o.

VALVE-STEM CAP.

- Appnaioi nea Maren 4, 191s. serial No. 82,019.

To all whom t may concern.' f y Be it known that I, OSCAR A. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, ,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve-Stem Caps, of which the following is a specificaject of they invention being to providea protion. i

This invention relates to improvements in yalve stem caps, and more particularly to lmprovements m that class of valve' stem caps which are used in connection with pneumatic tires,J such as automobile tires, the obtectingcap for such valve stems which can be placed on the stem and very easily, uickly and firmly locked thereon against isplacement, without the necessity of Ascrewing' the cap for the ventire length of the stem, and by means ofl which Ithe time consumed in removing and replacing the cap is reduced to a mere fraction of the time heretofore necessary to perform this operation, and which cap can be readily and quickly produced on an automatic screw machinev like the ordinary caps, the present invention being an improvement in part upon my contemporaneously pending allowed application Serial No. 879,435, filed December 29, 1914.

ment is to provide a cap so constructed'that it may be placed on the stem and removed therefrom not only in much less ltime than the .ordinary caps as now used, but to providey a cap which cannot by any action of the user be forced'beyond itsl properlocking position.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part ofl this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevatiqn of a portion of a felly of a wheel,lshowin g this improved valve stem cap applied'thereto'; Fig. 2 is an enlarged, -partly sectional, `side yiew ofthe cap, showing the same locked on the valve stem and taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 5; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View illustrating the lower end of the cap and taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 5*; Fig. 4 isa lengthwise sectional view taken on the line 6-'6, Fig. 2, and also on theline lf-I4, Fig. 5; and Fig. `5 'is a cross.- sectional View taken'on the line 5-5 F1 2.-

Similar characters of reference Indicate Specification' of Letters I Pa'tent.

One of the objects of the present improvestem, and by a single .turn or twist of the caL I Patented Oct. 16, 191 7.

locked" to the felly of thewheel in some Wayf,v

to prevent the inner tube from creeping The constant'friction of the tube in'the cas-j` ing exerts a constant pull on the valve stem tending to pull it through, and if this stem4 is not locked this continuous strain will eventually bend it'and thus ruin the tube. When the tire is mounted directly on the wheel a double lockis required,because the stem has only a narrow support in the'felly, and for this purpose it is usual to use a round knurled nut in conjunction with the threaded cap to insurea good lock, while when the tire is'mounted ona demountable rim and then attached to the-wheelthe valve stem goes through the demountable rim and the felly and therefore does not require the doubley lock, since it has a considerably longer bearing by passing through the .de- Vmountable rim andl theV felly, andL consequently merely a washer having a bore corresponding in shape with the stem is used and `the protecting cap screwed tightlyagainstfit.A

In the present improvement the' usual o form of threaded stem 2 isused, having op;- posite portions thereof `fiattened, as at 3. In connection with this stem I employ appro-- tecting cap 4, which is threaded only at one portionof its length, as forinstance at lts outer end, as at 5, Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and these threads do not extend entirely around the inner wall of the bore; of the cap, but are broken away atopposite portions, as shown at 6, corresponding to the threaded portions 3 of the valve stem. VIn short,`the valve stem as usually formed 'is provided with mutilated threads, and' in the present improvement the valve cap is likewisey pro-V vided with mutilated threads at its open or outer end, on, the interior thereof. The purpose of thus forming thc threads in the bore of the cap is'to enable the cap to be slid over the stem to the end thereof without the ne-l yeessity ofscrewing or unscrewing such capi throughout thefentire'length of the'valv-J 4to bring itsthreads into engagement wit `11() the threads onthe stem, thereby to lock the cap on such stem.

In my prior improvement, in order to provide a proper camming action between the threads on the stem and those on the cap, thereby to effectively lock the stem and cap together, I provided the cap with an eXtra thread, or a thread of a different pitch from that of the stem, but in the presentimprovement this dii'erential or extra thread is eliminated. In my said prior improvement, if the user failed to push the cap all the Way on the stem it happened that if there was a little variation in the diameter of the stem it would be possible for one not familiar with the cap to twist it to such an extent that the cap would turn by the threaded ,portions on the stem, so that there was anger of its loosening or dropping off, this bein especially the case if the stem of the tu e was not drawn up completely through the rim, caused by not having thetire completely inflated, so that, in short, the prior improvement was not eXactly foolproof, although very effective inits action when properly placed on the stem. In the present improvement this disadvantage is eliminated, and it is not necessary to instruct and inform the user what to do in order to put the cap on correctly, and the object referred to is obtained by so forming the mutilated thread sections on the interior of each cap that each threaded portion thereoft is incomplete, as illustrated at 7, that is to saythe threads of each mutilated section do not run clear over this portion, so that when the cap is screwed on the stem it can be turned partway around on the stem but cannot be screwed entirely over or off of the threaded portion of the stem. In other words, by reason of the fact that the thread is not complete on each mutilated portion it leaves what might be designated as a high spot or land atthe rear end or side of each threaded section, as illustrated at 7', Fig. 3, so that when the cap is turned on to the threads of the stern this raised portion comes into Contact with that portion of the stem where the threads join the fiat side thereof and thus prevents the cap from be- "ing turned farther. on the stem, so that even though the user should not push the cap entirely down on the stem he cannot turn it sufficiently far around on the stem to turn off the cap or bring the threads into alinement with the flat portions of the stem, which would of course cause the cap to.be loose on the stem so that it would be likely to he jarred off. Y

The cap is provided on the exterior there.- of with a c'ircumfcrentially threaded portion 8, the threads of which are materially coarser than the threads of the mutilated interior portion, and on this coarse threaded exterior portion is located a nut 9, shown 'into the unt readed portion 11 at the lower end of the nut shown in Fig. 4, thereby to prevent separation of the nutfrom the cap when not in use.

In the present improvement the cap and .its nut are slipped down on to "the valve stem as far as the cap will go, and then the user merely tightens up on the nut to draw it into tight engagement with the `washer carriedY by the valve stem, and this opera'- tion of Ytightening up this nut not only clamps the cap tightly onlto the stem, but also draws the stem up into place. In other words; the action of tightening the nut' against the rim or washer draws the valve stem in place, and then by further tightening this nut it locks the cap on vtothe stem. The friction p'resent by reason of the coarse threads on the nut and valve cap causes the valve cap when the nut is tightened up to be turned on to the stem as far as the mutilated threads ofthe cap will allow it to go, and then ,further tightening of the nut results in a clamping action taking place lengthwise or longitudinally of the cap; in other words, 'the friction between the nut and the valve cap causes ,the cap to be rotated with the nut as far as the mutilated thread will permit the cap to turn on the stem, whereupon further rotation of the nut in the same direction until the nut is in contact with the felly, or the washer thereon, will exert an outwagd" push on the cap in the direction of its length by reason of the fact that this direction of rotation is the one in which the nut would ordinarily be rotated to remove it from the ,cap, and this causes a very tight cramping or binding action between the up er sides of thethreads of the cap and t e lower sides of the threads of the stem, thus roducin'g a very effective lock or what might be termed a compound lock.

-Another advantage is that by reason of 'the fact that the mutilated threads on the nterior of the cap are not completelytapped, as hereinbefore explained, when the cap is removed there is no danger of the cap catching the threads when the cap is turned to free it from the stem in order to remove it: In other words, the present improveme't facilitates the quick removal of the cap and prevents the threads of the cap from catching the threads of the stem on the backward turning of the cap, so that the cap can be readily and quickly removed without any danger of the threads locking wih the threads of the stem.

From the foregoing it will be seen that in order to use the present improvement it is only lleoealy to Slip the capover the valve stem does,

K the cap produces. more friction than the niu-v tilated thread on the cap in contact with the sfo-that whenV the nut is-turned it carries the mutilated thready portion of the valve stem .until such mutilated thread portions of the stem reach' the incomplete or unthreaded l portions of the cap,

#further 'turning locks the nutto the wheel rim and also ther p when the further turning of the capis of course prevented, but the vof the nut 'differentially cap, in other words clamps the cap to the rim 'and the stem to the cap, while of course clamping itself against the felly of the wheel or the washer which may be used.

'In tapping the present improved caps I haveused in 'practice a tapythat has-a thread with a sixty-four degree angle instead of a standard sixty degree, whiclfthe usual stem has, thus cutting a wider path for the thread on 'the stem to' enter the cap. The cap shownis provided with the usual knurled portion 14 to permit the same to be readily vSe turned by hand should it .be desired to turn the vcap on or Voiii'of the mutilated thread portions of the stem independently of the nut. l

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present improvement comprises `a cap having mutilated thread portions on its interior of a certain form, .which will prevent the cap from being turned too .far on to the mutilated thread portions of the stem, and a coarser thread portion on the exterior carrying a nut, by means of which the cap is clamped on ,to thestem in a very eiicient and simple manner, and that all that is'nec essary in order to attach the cap lis to place the cap on the 'stem and push it down as far as it will go and then merely turn the nut to" tighten it, whereupon this action will cause the cap to tighten itself upon the stem, thus locking it inposition, and thatto remove '1t all that is necessary is to reverse the foregoing operation. v

From the foregoing it will be observed thatI have rovlded an improved cap .by means of which a large proportion of the time consumed in attaching and ltightening the cap is saved, since it is merely necessary to slip the cap on the stem and give the nut thereofa twist,

I claim as my invention- L 1. The combination with a felly and a threaded valve stem carried thereby, of an interiorly threaded valve cap adapted to t said stem, the coperating thread portlons of the stem and cap being formed to prevent the cap from being turned beyond a certain cap on' or into Contact with the a plurality of point on the stem,

and a nut carried by said l i valve cap `and adaptedl to frictionally enl tated in lthe same direction.

coperate with said felly 570 2. The combination with a felly and a Y" threaded valve. interiorly and exteriorly threaded valve cap adapted to 'fit said stem, and a nut adapted' to engage the exterior threads of 'said cap p, y

stem carried thereby, of an' thereby to rotate said cap on said stem and to cooperate with said felly to force said cap outwardly in the direction of its length f thereby to lock said cap on said' stem,the

threads of said stem, cap and nut all rnn-f ning in the same direction.- y

3. Thecombination with a fell .and a threaded valve stem carried 'there y, of aval-ve cap interiorly threaded to fit said stem and havinga coarser thread at its outer side, and a nut also having a coarser thread adapted to engage the outer threads of the =valve cap thereby to rotate said cap on said stemand to .cooperate with said felly to force said cap outwardly in thevdirectionv of its length thereby to lock said cap on said l stem, the threads of said stem, cap and nutall running in the same direction.

14. The Combination with a any' and a.

valve stem carried thereby, said stem having a plurality of interrupted or mutilated thread portions, of an exteriorly threaded valve cap `also having nteriorly thereof fa plurality of. mutilated thread portions, the ,Y Y

coperating thread portions of s aid parte being formed to prevent the cap from being turned beyond a certain point on the stem and threaded means :carried bythe exterior threads of said cap and coperating with- .said felly to force direction of its'length therebybto lock said cap on said stem, the-threads of all the parts said cap outwardly inthe running in the same direction.-

5. The combination. with a felly and a-vk valvestem carried thereby, said 'stem havin a plurality of interrupted or mutilate thread portions,

mutilated thread portions,

the cooperating thread portions of said parts of a valve cap also 'havingl being formed to prevent the cap from being turned beyond a certain point on the stem,

and means at the exterior of said cap and coperating with said felly to force said cap outwardly in the direction of its length thereby-to lock said cap valve stem carried thereby,'said stem hav on said -istem, the cap andisaid means being rotated in the same direction tolock said cap on said ster'n.f v 6. The combination -with a .felly and-a."-

the coperating thread portions of said Barts being formed to prevent the cap from eing tui ed beyond a certain point on the stem, anu a nut carried by said cap and coperating with said felly to force said cap outwardly in the direction of its length thereby te cause a binding action between the threads of the cap and the threads of the stemto lock said cap on said stem, all the threads of the several parts running in the same direction.

7. The combination with a felly and a valve stem carried thereby, said stem having a plurality of interrupted or mutilated thread portions, of a valve cap having a plurality of incomplete mutilated thread portions adapted to prevent the' cap from being turned beyond a certain point on the stem, said cap also having coarser threads at the exterior thereof, and a nut having threads adapted to it the exterior threads of said cap and coperating'with said felly to force said cap outwardly in the direction of itslength thereby to cause a bindin action between the threads of the cap an the threadsof the stem for locking said cap 'on said stern, the threads of all the parts running in the same direction.

8. An exteriorly threaded valve cap. having interiorly thereof a plurality of incomplete mutilated thread portions adapted to coperate with a mutilated threaded stem, and threaded means carried by the exterior threads of said cap and adapted to rotate said cap and also coperate with the felly carrying the valve stem with which the 'cap is designed to be used thereby to force said cap outwardly in the direction of its length and lock the mutilated threads of the cap in contact with the threads of said stem, the threads of all the parts running in the same direction. y

9. A valve cap -having a plurality of incom lete mutilated thread portions interior y thereof adapted to coperate with a mutilated threaded valve stem and' coarser threads at its exterior, and a nut having threads adapted to fit the exterior threads Aof said cap and also adapted to coperate with the felly carrying the valve stem with which the cap is designed to be used thereby to force said cap outwardly in the direction of its length and lock the mutilated threads of the cap in contact .with the threads of said stem, all the threads of the several parts running in the same direction.

Signed at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, this 2nd day of March, 1916.

OSCAR A. SMITH. 

